Muzej Domovinskog rata Karlovac – Turanj

About the museum

The Muzej Domovinskog rata Karlovac – Turanj (Karlovac Homeland War Museum – Turanj) is part of the institution Muzeji grada Karlovca (Karlovac City Museums) and bears witness to the defence of Karlovac and the emergence of the modern Republic of Croatia. It is located at the historical site Križanić – Turanj, which has been entered in the register of cultural goods of the Republic of Croatia since 2013. The wooden watchtower, the turanj, was built in 1582 and, with a garrison of border guards, protected the southern approaches to the Karlovac fortress from the Ottoman invaders, so that Turanj was for centuries the outpost of the town.

In the Homeland War of 1991–1995 Turanj was a strategically important point in the defence of Karlovac, where an attempt to take the town and cut Croatia in two was halted. The museum is set up in a renovated building that the defenders called the “Hotel California”. The damaged walls have been preserved inside a glass casing as testimony to the destruction of the war, and the interior is designed as a contemporary museum. The initiative to found the museum came from the retired brigadier Dubravko Halovanić, who also collected the first pieces of heavy military equipment.

On three levels there is a memorial room for the fallen Karlovac defenders and a souvenir shop on the ground floor, the permanent exhibition on the first floor, and a multi-purpose hall and a library with a reading room on the second floor. The permanent exhibition “Karlovac 1991. – 1995.” has an indoor and an outdoor part, and comprises more than 400 original objects and almost four hours of multimedia content. In 2020 the museum was nominated for the European Museum Forum award, and in 2021 it received the international Plautilla award.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Karlovac 1991. – 1995.” with more than 400 original objects and multimedia content
• The “Hotel California” building with the war damage preserved inside a glass casing
• Outdoor display of combat equipment, among other things vehicles from domestic workshops
• Memorial room for the fallen Karlovac defenders
• Historic site Križanić – Turanj, outpost of Karlovac since 1582

Permanent exhibition

• Karlovac 1991. – 1995. – A multimedia and interactive exhibition in six sections presents the defence of Karlovac and civilian life during the Homeland War; the sixth section, with combat equipment, is outdoors.

Founded

2019

Operated by

Muzeji grada Karlovca

Admission & discounts

Members of ICOM and the Hrvatsko muzejsko društvo (Croatian Museum Society), veterans, children and spouses of fallen veterans enter free. The price of a guided tour outside opening hours is 100% higher.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The building is adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities. A guide in Braille has been printed for blind and partially sighted visitors.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

The Homeland War is suitable mainly for school age; the display has an educational corner for the youngest children, and the museum runs workshops and tours for schools.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The souvenir shop is on the ground floor of the building.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit